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So you can see that I am pumping up to 45 minutes AFTER her feed at daycare. Thing is, the later I pump, the more milk I get--up to 1.5 oz more at 10:30 than I'd get at 9:45. Which is great--BUT--does that mean she is getting *less* at the breast at noon and after work? Should I try to pump when she gets fed at daycare and get less milk, or pump when I have been?

I send what I pump and do not dip into my freezer stash, which I rotate by sending frozen on Mondays.

So far she and I have been well-matched for supply and demand. Just don't want to create problems down the road. She has been STTN from the very beginning with some exceptions during growth spurts and no attempt to wake her for a feed is met with success (just put that in there to head of concerns that she isn't nursing enough). She is gaining well (on the small end but following her own curve) and having good diapers and development.

Re: Question about pumping schedule

If you are meeting her demands for breastmilk and she is growing well, then keep doing what you're doing! Remember, the breast is never empty, even if you've just pumped - baby may have to work a little harder, or nurse a little longer, to get out all the milk she wants, but she will do that! If you do start to struggle with supply down the road, you have some room for more pumping - either by lengthening your workday pumping (which is on the shorter side, especially if it includes set-up and cleanup), or adding in another pump at night (if you go to bed later than she does, for example).

Re: Question about pumping schedule

Sorry for the confusion--the time range for pumping is for when I start, not the length of the whole session. I pump for 15-20 min total, with 2-3 letdowns. It's amazing the difference in output! This morning I pumped starting at 10:30 (or 3.5 hours after we nursed) and got 6 ounces. This afternoon I pumped at 3:10 (or 3 hours after nursing) and only got 3.5. So strange! I certainly don't want to give her 6 ounces for one feeding. I may take 2 ounces home to freeze, as 4 ounces a feeding is plenty.

Re: Question about pumping schedule

Oh, okay. Yes, 6 ounces is great pump output! It is, however, quite common to get less milk later in the day. That's also true at the breast - and may be one reason infants cluster feed in the evening hours. I definitely agree that 6 ounces is too much for a feeding, so agree with your thought of freezing the remaining two!

Re: Question about pumping schedule

My pumping output varies from day to day. Generally, I get a lot at 3:30am and then a good pump at 7:30am but the rest of the day is up and down. And some days I get more milk at different times. So some days when I'm at work for the 11am pump I only get 2 ounces from each side and some days I get 4. But it's always enough to feed the girls (I have twins) and I have barely touched the freezer supply.

Plus, on the weekends when I do more breastfeeding, my pumping output changes too. So it just depends on the person and the day. 6 ounces is a GREAT pump.